Glitter Graphics - Topglittergraphics
Wonderful cocktails of Makeup........
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Do you CCH?
CCH would sound some kind of Chinese Chicken Hakka (Hong Kong) if I don’t tell you what it is! Well let me ask you again…..do you CONTOUR. COLOR and HIGHLIGHT? Sounds good and not some mystery game isn’t it?
Well these terms are so famous in the beauty industry that now a days they have become a phenomenon more than a technique. Every makeup artist, every blogger and just everyone has something to say about this and so do I. I’m more of a self taught makeup artist (I’d started makeup long before I joined a school to take a certificate) and take my time to research and improvise my makeup techniques all the time. I learnt my techniques by reading many books and lot of internet research and now I’m efficient enough to tell my story.
Its been sometime that I have fallen for shimmery contouring powder which we loosely term as bronzers. I don’t think all contouring powders are bronzer and neither are all bronzing powders meant for contouring. While bronzer enhances your tan and the glow that Sun would give, a contouring powder darkens and makes recede areas of the face that are already shadowed. This is totally my thinking and not taken from anywhere. Its more of a mind set. Another concept I believed in was that any shimmery product enhances the area of the face. So somehow I used to feel shimmery bronzers and contouring powders very dicey until I bought some to experiment. Similarly for me a blush was something to be worn alone and I used to always discriminate but today after realizing and talking to many famous makeup artists in the industry this mind set of mine has changed.
I always do some additions to the conventional stuff to make something of my own. I at least try it and sometimes I do succeed. Everyone has talked about a highlight and a contour and I thought of adding a color to it. And this is how I have my own CCH. I feel a combination of three does not make a crowd but make a jamboree. The intermixing of three colors gives the face a gradation of color and an enhanced sophisticated depth.
Well CCH can be done with absolutely any color keeping just a few things in mind viz.
- Contouring color should be dark and natural enough to deepen the shadows of the face and give an uplifting appearance.
- The COLOR is a blush that adds not only a flush but also gives a dimension and should always be a color lighter than the contouring powder even though it’s a tint of the same color.
- HIGHLIGHT should always be lighter than blush and accentuate the areas wherever it is applied.
- There should be coordination amongst colors.
- You can mix warm, neutral and cool colors and have infinite combinations. The only rule is that they should look good and not neutralize each other and turn grey.
- It should be like a spectrum with visible but contiguous differences and not bold and true colors.
- These colors can be of any texture but there should be a demarcation between cream and powder products. This bridging can be done by a translucent loose powder.
- Its not compulsory to use only 3 colors. You could use even more.
After some of these Newtonian laws let me tell you about the colors I’m featuring in this article. These are Mineralize blushes from MAC cosmetics and unfortunately they were limited editions. These are shimmery in texture and add radiance to the face.
Well this photograph even shows the brushes that I use at times to contour. I have many more but these were the ones I selected for this moment.
CONTOUR: - MAC mineralize blush in Love joy
COLOR: - MAC mineralize blush in Gentle
HIGHLIGHT : - MAC mineralize blush in Nuance
The idea to include a gold flecked raspberry colored blush with a shimmery golden peachy highlighter was to get a SALMON colored blush which is very flattering on all skin types. This is one of the newest additions to all skin color blushes and unfortunately many companies don’t make them, so it is best to make one of yours. At least you’d have a control on the color application.
The brushes I have featured are a small dome, large dome brush, angled blush brush and a duo fibre brush. Each brush has some great contribution in the whole technique.
The technique is simple. You start apply a contour in the hollow of the cheeks starting from outside of an imaginary vertical line drawn from the outside of the eyeball and is perpendicular to the ground. This makes you look not like a drag and smoothly contours the cheeks. This also gives a lifting effect to the face and enhances the features. I apply this with a small dome brush from Lancôme.
Then I apply the color on the cheek bones starting from the temples and coming inwards and downwards. This is because I don’t want the color to be on the apples of the cheeks. If this is not done properly it might spoil the look and it would be easier to look like a clown then. I use an angled blush brush from Smashbox to dust on some color on the cheeks. Sometimes only this much suffices but this is not the motto of the look.
In the end I apply my highlighter with the duo fibre brush as it really helps subtle applications. This brush dispenses a buildable amount of product on the face and does not load the face with the product. Its so versatile and this makes me pledge that I’d buy another one from MAC i.e. no.187 in the coming new year. I apply highlighter on the apples of the cheeks starting in wards upto the temples. Sometimes I love to draw a crescent from the apples of the cheeks to the brow bone to give the face a flattering dimension. I use the same duo fiber brush to blend in the colors and get the salmon color I wanted.
You can keep three colors differently but remember not to look a like a tri color flag. The demarcation lines should merge and it should have continuity.
To eliminate any harsh lines at the sides of the product I use a large dome buffer brush to buff in the harsh lines and blend the color into the hair line. This brush also can be used to soften the look.
You can also use crème based products to do this look. They mix very well and appear dewy and chic. Its something I’d post as soon as I buy the Shiseido Accentuating Stick no.1 in Bronze flush.
I hope you find this article useful……..do try this in natural day light and see yourself metamorphosing.
Till then,
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Christmas Specialsss….
Christmas is on and its another festive spirit after Diwali for me. We enjoy Christmas in the same way we enjoy Diwali. This Christmas its about rich looks and elegance. I’m going to show you two looks that would be quick and easy and beautiful.
LOOK 1 Christmas Angel
This time I am going to use strong colors on my friends may be on eyes or cheeks or lips. I prefer choosing colors that show festivity.
For this look we’d need: -
- Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch Primer
- Dior Forever Extreme Flawless wear foundation
- Dior Hydrating Concealer
- Shiseido Accentuating Stick in S3 Glistening Flush
- MAC Studio fix powder and Shiseido Illuminizing trio powder (not shown in the pic)
- Dior Shimmering Powder in Rose Diamond
- Chanel Tweed Blush in Tweed Amber
- MAC Holiday Collection Passions of Red Warm Eyes palette called Intriguing Scarlet with eyeshadow shades Warm Suede, Grand Entrance, Real Drama, Gentle Heat, Well Spiced and Sweet Joy.
- Lancôme eye pencil in Strass Black
- Lancôme Color Focus mono eyeshadow in Strass Black
- Max Factor Lash Perfection Mascara in Black
- The Body shop Cheek and Lip tint
- Lancôme Juicy Tube in Vanilla Soul
- Shiseido Eye lash curler
This is a very easy to carry and quickly done glamorous look.
FACE: -
after a cleansing, toning and moisturizing regimen I apply Clarins Primer on the areas where it is needed. On the nose, under eyes, on the forehead, sides of the nose and cheeks. This primer does wonders to hide open pores and fine lines, fills them up and is yet non comedogenic. It makes my foundation last longer even though this foundation I’m using does it already.
I take a small glob of foundation and apply it in the centre of the face blending outwards with a foundation brush and then a sponge to soak of any excess and blend at hair and jaw lines. I like to keep the foundation as sheer as possible yet giving a flawless balanced effect. I dab the concealer under eyes only if I need to hide any under eye circles as my foundation does 75% of my work already. I apply the concealer with my small Smashbox foundation brush and then dab it actually. A little bit of concealer goes in the inner area of the upper lid and brow bone. This is the area which is generally ignored and in photographs it might look obvious.
I’ve started blotting the nose even if its not required to prevent disasters. So I use MAC studio fix on the nose, forehead and under eyes to blot and set the foundation there and prevent creasing. Then I apply the creamy pearly Accentuating stick on the heights and apples of the cheeks, bridge of the nose, over the upper lip and as an eyeshadow base to give a bright pearly effect and keep my blushes from fading. You could use an eye primer as well, but sometime I love this as it does not entertain too much of pigment and specially does not crease. Creasing can happen on oily lids where I suggest using Urban Decay Primer Potion or MAC Paint Pot in Painterly.
I do a loose dusting of the luminizing powder to brighten up the complexion, fix the bases and balance any discolorations or uneven color.
EYES: -
For me this is an over all glamorous look so there is focus on everything in some or the other way. I start with the eye pencil around the lashes. This eye pencil has silver glitter particles so I would not advice to put it in the inner rims. I line the upper lash line as well as outer third of the lower lash line. Then I blend it using a crease blending brush. I apply the sparkly black eyeshadow on the outer one third of the lid and blend it in the outer crease as well as on the lower lash line for a smoky effect. Care should be taken while dusting the eyeshadow from the brush as it has a lot of sparkle. Then I take the burgundy plum color from the MAC palette and apply it in the crease blending it towards the brow bone and dragging it almost into the inner corners of the crease. This gives an illusion of cat eye effect. With a flat medium eyeshadow brush I apply the shimmery forest green from the palette all over the lid, taking care to keep the plum and green separate because they might turn into a dark brown and spoil the look. I apply the olive green sparkle in the inner corners and spice up the look. I use the bone shimmer as a highlight on the brow bone. On the lower lash line blend the plum into black in the middle one third and apply forest green in the inner one third of the lower lid. Curl the lashes and use 5 coats of mascara for sky high lashes.
CHEEKS: -
I apply a number of blushes to get the effect I want. First is apply the Tweed Amber blush in the hollows of the cheeks for subtle contours blending into the temples and hair line. I start the contour from the mid way of the hollow going outwards using an angled blush brush. Then I dust the shimmer plum and sparkly pink colors from the shimmery powder palette on the pads of the cheeks or the cheek bones. Over which I highlight using the baby pink highlighter. I use a kabuki brush to slightly blend in the colors to create a diffusion and not demarcation of the blushes. Whatever remains on my brush, I dust only that much blush all over the face to balance the effect. This does not mean loading the brush with extra blush as you might end up looking like a clown. It needs subtle handling.
LIPS: -
This is a favorite fail proof technique of mine and I love the way I get the result. I dab on some lip stain on the lips. 4 or more coats to get a lip bitten effect without biting them. The silicones in the formula help to plump up the lips adding an extra advantage. Over this I top on a glittery juice tube and the effect is exuberant.
This is a very conventional look. Let me glamorize it even further.
LOOK 2 Christmas Diva
To be a Christmas diva you need to follow some trends in makeup and make yours out of it.
For this look we’d need: -
- the same face products that I used before
- Shiseido accentuating powder blush in Glistening Brown
- Dior shimmer powder in Rose Diamond
- Dior 5 coleur eyeshadow palette in Tropical Lights
- Lancôme color focus mono intense eyeshadow in Green Bikini
- The Body shop mono eyeshadow in Slate Green
- Lancôme eye pencil in Strass Black
- L'Oreal Carbon Black liquid eye liner
- Shiseido eye lash curler
- MAC prep n prime mascara primer
- Lancôme Fatale mascara
- Lancôme color fever lipgloss in Boogie Brown
Keeping the face makeup the same lets see the decorations.
EYES: -
I use an eye primer from MAC called prep n prime which I forgot to photograph in the picture. This makes my eyeshadows stay a bit longer than usual and not settle in the crease. I start by lining the upper lash line with a pencil liner. Then smudge it with a smudge brush. I use the bronze shimmer from the eyeshadow palette and apply in the outer one third and the crease. Then I use the opalescent pink as a highlight on the brow bones. I gently wash the fluorescent green eyeshadow on the lid to open up the eyes and yet not make a bold statement. This eyeshadow from Lancôme can be layered and that’s what I like about it even if it is that vivid. I line the lower lash line with the same bronze and then apply the iridescent green or silvery taupe from the palette in the inner corners. I trace the liquid liner from inside out as a wing, curl the lashes, apply a mascara primer and 4 coats of Lancôme fatale mascara for a sensational effect. This effect can be seen and I don’t know how can I put it in writing.
CHEEKS: -
The brown blush with subtle pink sparkle gives an amazing festive contour to the cheeks. I highlight using the shimmer powder but use only the light peachy pink and opalescent pink as a highlight on the heights of the cheeks. This brown blush is very versatile in itself and really looks good even when worn alone. Its in contrast to the Chanel Tweed blush which is beigey brown with lots of gold accents. These look very bright and beautiful even if the colors sound dull. Seeing is believing.
LIPS: -
I complete the look with Lancôme Color Fever gloss in Boogie Brown which converts into more of a silvery beigey brown shimmer and is very long lasting..
Well these are the looks I have suggested and I could put pictures since I don’t have a regular model. Please feel free to ask questions and do let me know what you did this Christmas…
Till then,
Ciao
LOOK 1 Christmas Angel
This time I am going to use strong colors on my friends may be on eyes or cheeks or lips. I prefer choosing colors that show festivity.
For this look we’d need: -
- Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch Primer
- Dior Forever Extreme Flawless wear foundation
- Dior Hydrating Concealer
- Shiseido Accentuating Stick in S3 Glistening Flush
- MAC Studio fix powder and Shiseido Illuminizing trio powder (not shown in the pic)
- Dior Shimmering Powder in Rose Diamond
- Chanel Tweed Blush in Tweed Amber
- MAC Holiday Collection Passions of Red Warm Eyes palette called Intriguing Scarlet with eyeshadow shades Warm Suede, Grand Entrance, Real Drama, Gentle Heat, Well Spiced and Sweet Joy.
- Lancôme eye pencil in Strass Black
- Lancôme Color Focus mono eyeshadow in Strass Black
- Max Factor Lash Perfection Mascara in Black
- The Body shop Cheek and Lip tint
- Lancôme Juicy Tube in Vanilla Soul
- Shiseido Eye lash curler
This is a very easy to carry and quickly done glamorous look.
FACE: -
after a cleansing, toning and moisturizing regimen I apply Clarins Primer on the areas where it is needed. On the nose, under eyes, on the forehead, sides of the nose and cheeks. This primer does wonders to hide open pores and fine lines, fills them up and is yet non comedogenic. It makes my foundation last longer even though this foundation I’m using does it already.
I take a small glob of foundation and apply it in the centre of the face blending outwards with a foundation brush and then a sponge to soak of any excess and blend at hair and jaw lines. I like to keep the foundation as sheer as possible yet giving a flawless balanced effect. I dab the concealer under eyes only if I need to hide any under eye circles as my foundation does 75% of my work already. I apply the concealer with my small Smashbox foundation brush and then dab it actually. A little bit of concealer goes in the inner area of the upper lid and brow bone. This is the area which is generally ignored and in photographs it might look obvious.
I’ve started blotting the nose even if its not required to prevent disasters. So I use MAC studio fix on the nose, forehead and under eyes to blot and set the foundation there and prevent creasing. Then I apply the creamy pearly Accentuating stick on the heights and apples of the cheeks, bridge of the nose, over the upper lip and as an eyeshadow base to give a bright pearly effect and keep my blushes from fading. You could use an eye primer as well, but sometime I love this as it does not entertain too much of pigment and specially does not crease. Creasing can happen on oily lids where I suggest using Urban Decay Primer Potion or MAC Paint Pot in Painterly.
I do a loose dusting of the luminizing powder to brighten up the complexion, fix the bases and balance any discolorations or uneven color.
EYES: -
For me this is an over all glamorous look so there is focus on everything in some or the other way. I start with the eye pencil around the lashes. This eye pencil has silver glitter particles so I would not advice to put it in the inner rims. I line the upper lash line as well as outer third of the lower lash line. Then I blend it using a crease blending brush. I apply the sparkly black eyeshadow on the outer one third of the lid and blend it in the outer crease as well as on the lower lash line for a smoky effect. Care should be taken while dusting the eyeshadow from the brush as it has a lot of sparkle. Then I take the burgundy plum color from the MAC palette and apply it in the crease blending it towards the brow bone and dragging it almost into the inner corners of the crease. This gives an illusion of cat eye effect. With a flat medium eyeshadow brush I apply the shimmery forest green from the palette all over the lid, taking care to keep the plum and green separate because they might turn into a dark brown and spoil the look. I apply the olive green sparkle in the inner corners and spice up the look. I use the bone shimmer as a highlight on the brow bone. On the lower lash line blend the plum into black in the middle one third and apply forest green in the inner one third of the lower lid. Curl the lashes and use 5 coats of mascara for sky high lashes.
CHEEKS: -
I apply a number of blushes to get the effect I want. First is apply the Tweed Amber blush in the hollows of the cheeks for subtle contours blending into the temples and hair line. I start the contour from the mid way of the hollow going outwards using an angled blush brush. Then I dust the shimmer plum and sparkly pink colors from the shimmery powder palette on the pads of the cheeks or the cheek bones. Over which I highlight using the baby pink highlighter. I use a kabuki brush to slightly blend in the colors to create a diffusion and not demarcation of the blushes. Whatever remains on my brush, I dust only that much blush all over the face to balance the effect. This does not mean loading the brush with extra blush as you might end up looking like a clown. It needs subtle handling.
LIPS: -
This is a favorite fail proof technique of mine and I love the way I get the result. I dab on some lip stain on the lips. 4 or more coats to get a lip bitten effect without biting them. The silicones in the formula help to plump up the lips adding an extra advantage. Over this I top on a glittery juice tube and the effect is exuberant.
This is a very conventional look. Let me glamorize it even further.
LOOK 2 Christmas Diva
To be a Christmas diva you need to follow some trends in makeup and make yours out of it.
For this look we’d need: -
- the same face products that I used before
- Shiseido accentuating powder blush in Glistening Brown
- Dior shimmer powder in Rose Diamond
- Dior 5 coleur eyeshadow palette in Tropical Lights
- Lancôme color focus mono intense eyeshadow in Green Bikini
- The Body shop mono eyeshadow in Slate Green
- Lancôme eye pencil in Strass Black
- L'Oreal Carbon Black liquid eye liner
- Shiseido eye lash curler
- MAC prep n prime mascara primer
- Lancôme Fatale mascara
- Lancôme color fever lipgloss in Boogie Brown
Keeping the face makeup the same lets see the decorations.
EYES: -
I use an eye primer from MAC called prep n prime which I forgot to photograph in the picture. This makes my eyeshadows stay a bit longer than usual and not settle in the crease. I start by lining the upper lash line with a pencil liner. Then smudge it with a smudge brush. I use the bronze shimmer from the eyeshadow palette and apply in the outer one third and the crease. Then I use the opalescent pink as a highlight on the brow bones. I gently wash the fluorescent green eyeshadow on the lid to open up the eyes and yet not make a bold statement. This eyeshadow from Lancôme can be layered and that’s what I like about it even if it is that vivid. I line the lower lash line with the same bronze and then apply the iridescent green or silvery taupe from the palette in the inner corners. I trace the liquid liner from inside out as a wing, curl the lashes, apply a mascara primer and 4 coats of Lancôme fatale mascara for a sensational effect. This effect can be seen and I don’t know how can I put it in writing.
CHEEKS: -
The brown blush with subtle pink sparkle gives an amazing festive contour to the cheeks. I highlight using the shimmer powder but use only the light peachy pink and opalescent pink as a highlight on the heights of the cheeks. This brown blush is very versatile in itself and really looks good even when worn alone. Its in contrast to the Chanel Tweed blush which is beigey brown with lots of gold accents. These look very bright and beautiful even if the colors sound dull. Seeing is believing.
LIPS: -
I complete the look with Lancôme Color Fever gloss in Boogie Brown which converts into more of a silvery beigey brown shimmer and is very long lasting..
Well these are the looks I have suggested and I could put pictures since I don’t have a regular model. Please feel free to ask questions and do let me know what you did this Christmas…
Till then,
Ciao
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Plum Cakes
This Christmas I got a bit inspired looking at the plum cakes our neighbor gave us for Christmas. We generally fight over those but this time I acted a bit like Archimedes and thought over it. And this is how I have come out with some looks using plums.
Plum is an amazing fruit packed with antioxidants. It has this reddish violet color with some hints of black. But its definitely different from burgundy. When plums are not very ripe they are somewhat crimson in color. When cut this fruit has an inner yellow which is a strong contrast with the outer skin. Nature is so beautiful isn’t it? These fruits start as green and lose chlorophyll and become red. This journey from green to red gives a vivid spectrum of colors but we are thinking something that is truly ripe now.
Well when plums are dried they look like shriveled burgundy black colored things with a glaze and taste wonderful. Reminds me of filling my mouth during hunger pangs that I used to get.
Anyways I’m really fascinated with this color and believe me in any form of makeup colors, plum never goes wrong. Let it be a lipstick or an eyeshadow, plum happens to be one of the safest and beautiful colors to use. I like the plum color in all its forms including matte, shimmer and glitter and now a days my makeup stash is filled with plumy products.
Okay. So lets come to some innovative ideas with PLUM as the main color.
Some looks: -
EYES: -
- I have always paired plums with another favorite color of mine, FOREST GREEN. It makes a lovely pair and if you want a duo chrome effect you could try Shiseido’s Hydro powder eyeshadows. I apply a matte plum eyeshadow in the outer corners and into the crease. Then a shimmery forest green all over the lid and some moss green shimmer in the inner corners of the eyes to open up. It might look a little plant like but its worth it.
- I have paired plums with virtually all shadows and one of the combos is with Lilac. Its gives an aura of sophistication as well chic effect. I love to apply a matte plum in a smoky way and then dust a shimmery pearly lilac over the lid to create a duo chrome effect. Do try it as it looks lovely.
- I love to add a pink gold color when doing a plum makeup and one of my fascinating makeup looks is using an apricot eyeshadow with plum. I was awestruck looking at the effect.
- I have added taupe, beiges and even blues to plum to create various eye effects. One of the best one that I got was using plum with navy blue. It looks dramatic.
- For a versatile effect use multiple colors on the eye lid and a dark plum eyeshadow in the crease. It looks very balancing.
- Did you know there are Plum mascaras in the market? Shiseido and Clarins make them, I guess? They are wonderful to enhance brown eyes. Do a very natural makeup with just some hither thither shine everywhere and don this plum mascara. See the vivid effect it would create.
- When smoky plum adds an aura at night, shimmery plums create a subtle wash for the day. Very lovely.
- Sport them with pinks and see how you add a touch of sophistication in a girly makeup.
CHEEKS: -
- A wash of plum blush brings out any complexion. Only the intensity changes with skin colors and goes from demure flush for fair to vivid stain for dark complexions.
- I have loved Clinique Fresh Bloom blush in Posy.
- Mix plum with a bronzer and have a wonderful interlude of colors. Loved Dior Bronze harmonie in sunshine party.
- Plums have looked wonderful in MAC blushes like Plum du Bois and I’m still regretting for not buying one.
LIPS: -
- Plum on lips look like a cherry on cake. I have preferred Plum lipstains which look as if you have chewed beetroot to pulp, to shimmery plum lip glosses.
- Do try Max Factor’s gloss in Plum Shimmer. It accentuates the natural shine in a gloss with a muted plum effect. Its looks marvelous on a lip stain from The Body Shop.
- Matte plum lips look bold when the rest of the makeup is subdued….
Plum color is known to bring out many facets of makeup and definitely needs to be done tastefully.
Do share your ideas on Plum makeup…………..
Till then,
Ciao
Plum is an amazing fruit packed with antioxidants. It has this reddish violet color with some hints of black. But its definitely different from burgundy. When plums are not very ripe they are somewhat crimson in color. When cut this fruit has an inner yellow which is a strong contrast with the outer skin. Nature is so beautiful isn’t it? These fruits start as green and lose chlorophyll and become red. This journey from green to red gives a vivid spectrum of colors but we are thinking something that is truly ripe now.
Well when plums are dried they look like shriveled burgundy black colored things with a glaze and taste wonderful. Reminds me of filling my mouth during hunger pangs that I used to get.
Anyways I’m really fascinated with this color and believe me in any form of makeup colors, plum never goes wrong. Let it be a lipstick or an eyeshadow, plum happens to be one of the safest and beautiful colors to use. I like the plum color in all its forms including matte, shimmer and glitter and now a days my makeup stash is filled with plumy products.
Okay. So lets come to some innovative ideas with PLUM as the main color.
Some looks: -
EYES: -
- I have always paired plums with another favorite color of mine, FOREST GREEN. It makes a lovely pair and if you want a duo chrome effect you could try Shiseido’s Hydro powder eyeshadows. I apply a matte plum eyeshadow in the outer corners and into the crease. Then a shimmery forest green all over the lid and some moss green shimmer in the inner corners of the eyes to open up. It might look a little plant like but its worth it.
- I have paired plums with virtually all shadows and one of the combos is with Lilac. Its gives an aura of sophistication as well chic effect. I love to apply a matte plum in a smoky way and then dust a shimmery pearly lilac over the lid to create a duo chrome effect. Do try it as it looks lovely.
- I love to add a pink gold color when doing a plum makeup and one of my fascinating makeup looks is using an apricot eyeshadow with plum. I was awestruck looking at the effect.
- I have added taupe, beiges and even blues to plum to create various eye effects. One of the best one that I got was using plum with navy blue. It looks dramatic.
- For a versatile effect use multiple colors on the eye lid and a dark plum eyeshadow in the crease. It looks very balancing.
- Did you know there are Plum mascaras in the market? Shiseido and Clarins make them, I guess? They are wonderful to enhance brown eyes. Do a very natural makeup with just some hither thither shine everywhere and don this plum mascara. See the vivid effect it would create.
- When smoky plum adds an aura at night, shimmery plums create a subtle wash for the day. Very lovely.
- Sport them with pinks and see how you add a touch of sophistication in a girly makeup.
CHEEKS: -
- A wash of plum blush brings out any complexion. Only the intensity changes with skin colors and goes from demure flush for fair to vivid stain for dark complexions.
- I have loved Clinique Fresh Bloom blush in Posy.
- Mix plum with a bronzer and have a wonderful interlude of colors. Loved Dior Bronze harmonie in sunshine party.
- Plums have looked wonderful in MAC blushes like Plum du Bois and I’m still regretting for not buying one.
LIPS: -
- Plum on lips look like a cherry on cake. I have preferred Plum lipstains which look as if you have chewed beetroot to pulp, to shimmery plum lip glosses.
- Do try Max Factor’s gloss in Plum Shimmer. It accentuates the natural shine in a gloss with a muted plum effect. Its looks marvelous on a lip stain from The Body Shop.
- Matte plum lips look bold when the rest of the makeup is subdued….
Plum color is known to bring out many facets of makeup and definitely needs to be done tastefully.
Do share your ideas on Plum makeup…………..
Till then,
Ciao
Sunday, December 21, 2008
A news to share....
Hi Readers,
Since my ravenous hunger for sharing the knowledge on beauty is not satisfied, I have started writing a new blog with a new theme.
Of course I'd be writing in here as well but I have another baby where I would write more on latest launches in the Makeup and Beauty Industry.
Please have a glimpse at www.makeupartistontour.blogspot.com and I'm sure you would love it....
Ciao
Since my ravenous hunger for sharing the knowledge on beauty is not satisfied, I have started writing a new blog with a new theme.
Of course I'd be writing in here as well but I have another baby where I would write more on latest launches in the Makeup and Beauty Industry.
Please have a glimpse at www.makeupartistontour.blogspot.com and I'm sure you would love it....
Ciao
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Makeup Breakups : Sushmita Sen
( the image used above is only for illustration purposes and does not have anything to do with publicity of the actress. Its just a fan following and I hope this is taken in a casual manner. I solemnly declare that the image used above is only to guide my readers to the makeup look and does not involve any personal matters. So please take this in a healthier way.)
Sushmita Sen is one of my favorite actresses and I have always loved the way she carries herself with elegance and panache. She is a typical Armani woman with demure and understated elegance but tough and bold enough to carry a Versace gown with the same panache. She is a very strong woman and her makeup reflects her brighter side. I have never seen someone who would apply bronzers in the most perfect way and never look overdone still. It needs guts and Sushmita has them in tones….
The glowing golden complexion of Sushmita is probably her trademark. The makeup she sports is more of skin than eyes or lips. Everything seems to be in equilibrium and balance when Sush is concerned.
So lets see how we could get inspired from the makeup on this diva….
For FACE: -
After a cleansing, toning and moisturizing, apply a primer that would cover pores and fine lines of the face. I prefer Clarins Instant Smooth Perfect Touch, which is very waxy and soft to feel but goes on amazingly on the skin. I like to use complexion enhancers to mimic the glow of the summer that is warm and enticing. This is the simplest way to sport any look from understated natural to divinely glamorous. I have always trusted YSL Teint Parfait in shade no.3 which has a slight amount of shimmer enough to give a dewy radiance. I prefer applying it under the foundation first and then over it if required as I want an illusion of the glow from within.
My foundation of choice for such alluring makeovers is Clinique’s Perfectly Real Makeup. This foundation glides like butter on the skin and the texture is so smooth and the coverage is sheer to medium and build able. This foundation sits on the skin like second skin. I use a foundation brush to apply this foundation starting from the centre of the face and all over. Sometimes I mix the complexion enhancer with this foundation and apply an extra hand over the heights of the cheeks and all areas where the light hits to make them glow even more. I finish and set the foundation with Clinique’s Super powder double face powder for an added coverage especially under the eyes where I prefer not using concealers if not required. This powder foundation does the trick and looks more natural under eyes than a goopy concealer. Of course in photographs sometimes a concealer may be necessary.
A dusting of translucent powder with a hint of shimmer like Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Loose powder over the highlight areas suffices over a blush at times.
Before dusting the loose powder, I prefer applying a crème bronze blush just to add on to the healthy effect. The application should be light and not look like a fake tan. I prefer applying with fingertips on the apples of the cheeks and blending it towards the temples. My choice has always been Shiseido’s Accentuating Stick in S1 Bronze Flush. This crème multi purpose stick can also be used as a lipstick and on eyes to balance the look.
After dusting the loose powder over this crème blush, I just add on some more glow using Shiseido Multi shade Enhancer in No.2 for a summery radiance. The amber color in the palette is my favorite and I apply it very sheer. A bit of dusting in the contours brings out the structure of the face. To balance the look dust whatever remains on the brush over your forehead, Nose Bridge and chin to look perfectly bronzed. Care should be taken in using the least amount of product to start with.
For EYES: -
I prefer applying an eye shadow primer or a base and my favorite is MAC paint pot in Painterly which is this beige pink base that matches the color of the lids and does not look pronounced. Then I use a gel based liner like MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack to create a base for the eyeshadow to stick on and accentuate the lashes. A bronze brown eyeshadow from MAC mineralize eyeshadows from the Red She said collection in Inter-view can be dusted on the lids near the lash line and blended well for a it of smoked effect. Apply the same eyeshadow in the outer half of the lower lid.
Then I apply Lancôme’s Color Focus eyeshadow in platinum brown on the lid and blend it into the crease and highlight the brow bone by using a shimmery bone color from Lancôme’s Color Focus Quad in Chic.
These palettes are my staples and they create some of the most extra ordinary eye looks. To end with the whole thing and so that eyes draw maximum attention I dust on a lustre eyeshadow from MAC called Honeylust which is a slightly bronze color with lot of shimmery particles. This is just a party time touch added to the already sophisticated eye makeup. I glide a black or charcoal color kohl eye pencil from Clinique in the inner rims and prefer not to use a liquid liner to keep the look soft and subtle.
Generous coats of YSL Faux Cils or Clinique's High Definition mascara in Black follow and complete the eye makeup. Lush lashes are always in…..
For LIPS: -
I apply the Shiseido accentuating stick in bronze as a base coat and then glide on Lancôme Color fever gloss in Boogie Brown for a natural looking pout. Other favorite warm taupe colored gloss of mine is Clinique’s Impossibly Glossy lip gloss in Soda Crème. Just love it.
Sometimes a touch of Lancôme juicy tube in Pamplemousse does the trick too but just as an accent.
Other products that can be used are: -
1) Elizabeth Arden Bronzer
2) Lancôme Star Bronzer
3) Lancôme Maharani Jewels Elephant palette
4) Clinique superfit makeup foundation
5) Estee Lauder Double wear foundation
6) Clarins Color quench lip balm
7) Shiseido Lipgloss in G4 Petal
8) Givenchy Prisme Bronzer
9) Clinique Color Surge eyeshadow quad in Spicy
10) Dior Bronze Harmonie in Sunset Party
11) L'Oreal Eva Longoria eyeshadow palette
12) Chanel Exceptionnel de Chanel mascara
13) Dior Highlighting powder in Amber Diamond
I’d strongly recommend good quality bronzers as the medium ones are either too orange or too red and could spoil the entire look..
Do try this look at home and give me the inputs.
Ciao
Brushes...........
This is the latest collection of the brushes and makeup tools that I'm using and it is increasing day by day...
Diorified,,,,,
I never knew neither did anticipate that Dior would make foundations that are so good for Indian skin that I’d actually go and buy one. This happened as a miracle or probably an impulse when I saw this foundation online.
I sometimes like to wear a little bit of color on my face (of course its never obvious and none of my employers have ever realized that I wear a foundation until I tell them sometime due to slip of tongue) and thence I keep on searching for foundations that would help me solve the purpose.
I have my own Lancôme Teint Idole and Shiseido Dual foundations in O60 and O40 but somehow I was searching for something more enduring and long lasting and yet a wonderful finish. And one fine day my search ended or that’s what I feel.
While I was browsing through the newly renovated Dior counter in Juhu Shopper stop I managed to lure the SA for some foundation samples and the shade no. 030 suited my skin perfectly well. I would have never dared to shell out Rs.4250 for the foundation she showed me but I was determined after seeing the finish.
Then one day while browsing through Strawberrynet.com I saw this foundation and fell in love with it the moment I read the description. And here is this foundation which I love and wear the most. I mix it with my Clinique or Givenchy moisturizer and voila I have the most perfect form of tinted moisturizer ready to go.
This foundation is called Dior Forever Extreme Wear Flawless makeup and is known to suit all the harshest environmental conditions you could think of. (lately I have stopped thinking after the terrorist attacks at Mumbai, one of the worst experiences in anyone’s life when you lose someone you know.). But this foundation holds true for what its meant to do.
A little amount coming out of the dispenser is enough to last for the whole day and this really gives a medium coverage in just one application. Yet the foundation cannot be built upon in layer as it dries too quickly and could turn cakey or may look heavy.
After a month of application I have actually understood the technique of applying this foundation to achieve the perfect result the company promises. Since the texture is very fluid rather than being goopy, just a little amount goes a long way. Its better to apply the foundation using fingers rather than using a brush. Actually this is one of those foundations that I find uncomfortable to apply with a brush. What I do is after a CTM regimen if I have to go for a seminar or makeup workshop, I take a dime size or even lesser on the back of my hand. Warm it for 2-3 seconds as it tends to dry if more than that and apply it first at the areas I need coverage. These areas generally include under eyes, eye lids, T zone and cheeks. No foundation on chin as the beard area is too prominent there. The only thing is you need to blend very quickly as this foundation doesn’t know how to wait and get blended. It just melts into your skin (of course if you have the right color) and makes you appear flawless. Since it is a heavy duty foundation, the main focus is towards mattified shine free face but after long hours of wearing it in a tropical climate does let the shine come after a few hours of non retouching.
This foundation is somewhat perspiration resistant and does not fade away. It seems to renew itself at times and maintain the flawlessness. The longest time I wore this foundation was for 15 hours and believe me, not a trace of fading. I felt just so proud of myself for getting something like this. Well this foundation is very pricey compared to any other department store foundation and sampling is heavily recommended as the shades could go wrong when Indian skins are concerned.
So here are the pros and cons….
PROS: -
Lovely foundation that gives a mattified medium finish and a distinctive glow to the face. The product comes in a sleek glass bottle which looks very rich and beautiful as all other Dior products. The effect is long lasting and the foundation can be removed with face wash or a cleanser with a wee bit of effort. This foundation is very good for Photography makeup as well in case I mentioned it in my earlier posts.
Btw it is based on Nano technology and I havent really discussed that.
CONS: -
Dries quickly and does not give time to blend. It’s a little costlier than many comparable foundations but worth every penny….
I’d definitely recommend some one to buy this if they are interested.
Suggested Price: -Rs.2550 approximately MRP
Ciao
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Beauty Splurges,,,,
Hey Guys
I know I’m writing after a long time but I had no choice as I was down with typhoid and took a long time to heal and come back to normal. There is no such topic I’m thinking of right now but I could advise on some smart shopping to be done before Christmas.
Holidays are soon to start and beauty stores are loaded with new stuff that needs prodding.
This Holdiay I’m smitten with colors like Plum and Wine and Silvers and of course winter staples like navy, forest greens and grays. So let me recommend some colors that could be tried out…..
1) Clinique Color Surge Quad in Plum Seduction as a wonderful array of plums and neutrals that make a wonderful palette this season. Plum on eyes is a wonderful treat and I cannot tell how beautiful brown eyes could look. Priced at Rs.1750 INR
2) Lancôme Color Focus single eyeshadows….I’m a great fan of these and the colors I’d recommend specially for this season are Platinum Brown and Black Strass…..these colors are best when you want to flaunt some wine colored lippies. Priced at Rs.950 INR 
3) Dior Bronze Harmonie shade no.5 Spicy Desert…this rosy and coppery bronzer is ideal to add some winter warmth to the skin when places go really cold. These warm shades just flatter Indian complexions like anything. Priced at Rs.2450 INR
4) Chanel Tweed Blush in Tweed Rose and Tweed Amber….These shades are oh so lovely and look very beautiful. The tweed pattern in which silvers and golds are intertwined and interwoven with a burst of the other colors resembles mademoiselle Chanel’s Tweed Jacket. This is one of the blushes with a choice of building colors and is mediocre pigmented. Sometimes I find these blushes better than MAC for regular makeups as MAC ones are intensely pigmented. Priced at Rs.2200 INR
5) MAC Red she said Mineralize eyeshadows are a must this season and if you don’t have one of these I’d advise you to run and grab at least one today. Rs,1040 INR
6) Clarins Eyeshadow Quads in So Chic and So subtle…..these quads just took my breath away. They are more than fantastic and the pigment quality and colors are very good.
7) YSL Golden lipglosses are just perfect this season (Rs.1260) but my love is towards Chanel’s Levre Scintillante in Sideral….(Rs.1450 INR) which is packed with violet pink shimmer and makes a lovely combo with most of the eye products I talked about…
This is all for now….Shall soon talk about Christmas makeups and what to do for the New year…..
Till then…….
Ciao
I know I’m writing after a long time but I had no choice as I was down with typhoid and took a long time to heal and come back to normal. There is no such topic I’m thinking of right now but I could advise on some smart shopping to be done before Christmas.
Holidays are soon to start and beauty stores are loaded with new stuff that needs prodding.
This Holdiay I’m smitten with colors like Plum and Wine and Silvers and of course winter staples like navy, forest greens and grays. So let me recommend some colors that could be tried out…..
1) Clinique Color Surge Quad in Plum Seduction as a wonderful array of plums and neutrals that make a wonderful palette this season. Plum on eyes is a wonderful treat and I cannot tell how beautiful brown eyes could look. Priced at Rs.1750 INR
2) Lancôme Color Focus single eyeshadows….I’m a great fan of these and the colors I’d recommend specially for this season are Platinum Brown and Black Strass…..these colors are best when you want to flaunt some wine colored lippies. Priced at Rs.950 INR 3) Dior Bronze Harmonie shade no.5 Spicy Desert…this rosy and coppery bronzer is ideal to add some winter warmth to the skin when places go really cold. These warm shades just flatter Indian complexions like anything. Priced at Rs.2450 INR
4) Chanel Tweed Blush in Tweed Rose and Tweed Amber….These shades are oh so lovely and look very beautiful. The tweed pattern in which silvers and golds are intertwined and interwoven with a burst of the other colors resembles mademoiselle Chanel’s Tweed Jacket. This is one of the blushes with a choice of building colors and is mediocre pigmented. Sometimes I find these blushes better than MAC for regular makeups as MAC ones are intensely pigmented. Priced at Rs.2200 INR
5) MAC Red she said Mineralize eyeshadows are a must this season and if you don’t have one of these I’d advise you to run and grab at least one today. Rs,1040 INR
6) Clarins Eyeshadow Quads in So Chic and So subtle…..these quads just took my breath away. They are more than fantastic and the pigment quality and colors are very good.
7) YSL Golden lipglosses are just perfect this season (Rs.1260) but my love is towards Chanel’s Levre Scintillante in Sideral….(Rs.1450 INR) which is packed with violet pink shimmer and makes a lovely combo with most of the eye products I talked about…
This is all for now….Shall soon talk about Christmas makeups and what to do for the New year…..
Till then…….
Ciao
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
LinkWithin
